We'll Miss You
by nooodisaster
Summary: "Why did they have to kill her?" Sya asked abruptly. Her blue eyes that were so much like Korra's stared desperately at Bolin for answers. Bolin copes with Korra's death, and how to take care of their child, Sya. Borra


**I wrote this for the "Crime" day of Borra week. This was inspired by fanart by the same name. Takes place in a future where Bolin and Korra got married, and had a child, Sya. Written before Book 2 came out, so a bit AU now.**

**tw: major character death**

Sya's head rested on Bolin's shoulder as she whimpered in grief. Bolin softly stroked her head with one hand, and hugged her tightly to him with another. The funeral proceedings were finally over, the crowd had finished offering their condolences and he'd finally been able to turn his attention to the girl who had just lost her mother at only 7. She was their- _his _- only child, and he and Korra had always raised her together. Even with her duties as Avatar, and even with him working as head of the metal bender cops, they had always found time to raise their perfect waterbender. Korra was the tougher, serious mother and Bolin the goofy, careful father. He wasn't sure how he was going to do it alone now. He had to be both of them, and he wasn't sure if he could be.

"Why did they have to kill her?" Sya asked abruptly. Her blue eyes that were so much like Korra's stared desperately at Bolin for answers.

"I… I don't know honey." He said, and kissed her on the forehead, trying to comfort her. She continued to stare at him, and he knew he had to try and explain. Even though she was young, Bolin and Korra had never shied away from telling her the whole truth.

"They're just… filled with hatred," Bolin sighed. "Hatred of people like us. And they think that hatred justifies their violence."

"Why did she have to die!" Sya cried, her voice sharp with pain.

"I don't know, I don't know," Bolin repeated.

"I don't- want to, die too!" Sya sobbed out. She grabbed onto Bolin tighter, digging her fingers into the red scarf on his neck.

Bolin stared shocked at his daughter, and anger exploded within him. Because of these, these terrorists, his daughter was already starting to fear for her life? At seven?!

"Sya, listen to me."

He pulled her gently but forcefully off of his shoulders, so that she was staring right into his eyes.

"I promise you, that I will never let anyone hurt you. No matter who or what tries to go against us. I will give my _life_ to protect you."

"But… Mommy-"

"I know," Bolin said, trying to hide the pain in his voice. "I… I couldn't protect her…. I failed her." He had to close his eyes for a moment to stop himself from crying. "But I _swear_, I won't lose you. Daddy'll keep you safe."

Sya nodded at Bolin, seeming to have calmed down a little bit.

He nodded back, then pulled her in.

"Come on, we're almost home."

After a time, they had reached the door. It had started to rain, and Sya had tried to use her waterbending as an umbrella for them. Unfortunately, she was still at the very basics, and her efforts just got Bolin totally soaked. He didn't mind at all. He always was filled with pride when he saw her waterbend, and now with Korra gone that feeling was infinitely stronger.

Inside, Bolin had to put her down for a second to dry off. As he did, she squirmed in protest. Bolin quickly blotched himself so he stopped dripping, then went back to Sya.

"It's time to go to bed now honey," Bolin said. He picked her up and led her to her room, across from his and Korra's. No… It took Bolin a second to remind himself that it was just his now.

He placed her down gently on the covers, and carefully tucked her in. Sya continued to stare at him the whole time. Bolin tried to think of something to say while he was tucking her in, or one of his jokes to make her laugh, but no words came. He finished in silence.

Finally, he gave her another kiss on the cheek, and slowly walked towards the door. As he turned off the light, the room was vast in dark shadows, and Bolin stared at his daughter.

"Goodnight honey."

He started to close the door.

"Wait!"

He stopped.

"Yeah?"

"Can I… sleep with you tonight?"

Bolin smiled sadly.

"Sure."

Sya pushed off the sheets and ran over to him. They walked to his bedroom, and Sya quickly snuggled next to him as soon as he laid down.

Bolin lay in the dark, hearing Sya's breathing turn from rapid to slow, to finally a deep sleep. He let out a quiet sigh. Now that he knew Sya was safe and asleep, he finally thought about himself.

Why did the world have to be filled with so much hate? They had stopped the Equalists resurgence years ago, at the cost of his brother's life. The only family he'd had left. Gone. And then out of the blue, over 15 years later, there was a terrorist attack by Equalists against Korra that had taken her life. The women he'd loved since the moment he saw her. Gone. The Equalists had taken so much from him.

He remembered sitting desperately by her side, eyes stinging from the endless tears as the best healers in the world tried to bring her back. But nothing worked. He remembered one of them saying "At least she didn't die in the Avatar state, then we'd really be screwed." He had wanted to curse at that healer, to lunge at her, to yell at her that Korra wasn't just a step in a cycle, she was his heart and his soul and no one would ever be able to replace that.

Bolin felt Sya roll in her sleep, and in the darkness he realized why Katara had chosen to train Korra in waterbending. Not just because she was a brilliant master, but because it was a chance to get to, in some small way, be near Aang again. Korra had met with Aang in the Spirit World, and Bolin knew that in that strange place, Korra was there now too. He wondered if any Avatar would know how lucky they were to see the spirits of the dead, and how many others like Bolin would have given anything to be able to meet them again like the Avatar did.

"Can you hear me Korra?" Bolin whispered softly. "I.. I'll still love you forever."

And then Bolin was sobbing. He tried to keep from waking Sya up, but memories hit him like a waterfall. He remembered the first time Mako and Korra and he had fought together in a probending match. He remembered their first date together laughing and burping and him staring at that gorgeous brown hair. When he gave Korra a betrothal necklace on accident, and then years later after he learned, when he made his own to ask her to marry him with. The first time they ever made love together, and the endless passion (and to be truthful, the awkwardness). When Korra told him she was pregnant, and he had cried from the joy. Even the littlest things, like how she could so easily lift him up, or how her eyes twinkled in the dark, or when she would laugh at one of his jokes, even the horrible ones.

Thoughts flowed through his mind for hours. Eventually, finally, though, he fell to sleep. And in his dreams, he saw Korra illuminated in a white glow. She was staring down at him.


End file.
